The Akal Academies being set up by The Kalgidhar Trust, Baru Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) are becoming Harbingers of Revolution in Rural Education. Besides Himachal Pradesh, 21 branches have already been established in the far-flung rural backward areas of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. These Academies are based on the concept of integration of high-quality scientific modern education with spiritual learning. This way of imparting real education was envisaged by Sant Attar Singh and Sant Teja Singh, a century ago to produce competent human beings to become messengers of knowledge and peace. This model of education followed in the Akal Academies is proving fruitful. The students are showing excellent results in academics, sports and other activities. Besides, they are becoming role models in transforming the rural population at large in rural areas 25 to 35 km around the vicinity of the academy. The use of intoxicants, drugs, alcohol etc and the occurrence of crime in these areas is decreasing, whereas the moral and spiritual values are improving, thereby promoting peace and spiritual brotherhood among the rural population.
The year 2006-07 is crowned with excellent results shown by the students in the board examination of grades X and XII conducted by CBSE, New Delhi and high performance in sports and other co-curricular activities. As many as 544 students of class X from 16 Akal Academies – Ajitsar (Ratia), Baru Sahib, Balbehra, Bilga, Bhadaur, Bhai Desa, Bharyal Lahri, Cheema, Dhindsa, Fatehgarh Chhanna, Gomti, Jand Sahib, Kajri, Mander, Muktsar and Reeth Kheri, appeared in the Board examination.
Khushpreet Kaur of the same branch obtained the second position by securing 96.2 per cent marks and
Ramneek Kaur of Akal Academy, Baru Sahib achieved the third position by getting 96 per cent marks. It is
encouraging that 68 students got more than 90 per cent marks; 33 students scored 80 to 89.9 per cent marks; 50 students got 70 to 79.9 and 84 students obtained 60 to 69.9 per cent marks, all securing first division. Only 33 students got 50 to 59.9 per cent marks. The first division (60% and above) was secured by 91.4 per cent of students, whereas 64.7 per cent of students achieved Distinction (75% and above).
In the senior secondary class XII examination, 121 students from five Akal Academies, namely Baru Sahib, Muktsar, Cheema, Bhadaur and Reeth Kheri appeared. The overall pass percentage was 98.5. The first division was obtained by 82% of students, out of which 33% achieved distinction (75% and above).
The highest score of 91% in aggregate was obtained by Neha Saini of Akal Academy, Baru Sahib with subject scores ranging from 85 to 99 per cent. The second position was achieved by Jatinder Singh of Akal Academy, Cheema with 89.4% and Chamkaur Singh of the same branch was third with 89% marks,
whereas Jatinder Singh of Akal Academy, Muktsar got the fourth position with 88.2% marks. The subject-wise highest scores were English 91, Physics 99, Chemistry 93, Biology 90 and Physical Education 95. The excellent performance of all students of all the Akal Academies, who appeared in class X and XII Board examination in 2007, is depicted in the box.
The people of rural and semi-rural areas have now realized the difference and appreciate the capability, discipline and behaviour of the passed-out students of Akal Academies and those of other institutions. This tangible difference is due to synthesis of the spiritual education with scientific education. Parents are now approaching the management for the degradation of class X schools to the XII stage as they want their wards to continue their studies up to class XII in the Akal Academies only.
Strenuous efforts made by Akal Academies in imparting quality education in rural Punjab have already started paying dividends to the society. Only a few batches of 10+2 class students passed out from three Akal Academies, namely Muktsar, Bhadaur and Reeth Kheri, while the Cheema Sahib branch has reached that stage last year. In all, 44 students of the 10+2 class passed out from Akal Academy, Muktsar since the first batch of 2003. Of these, 3 students got admission in the MBBS course, 3 in BDS, 3 in Veterinary Science and one in B.Sc. In nursing. 16 students got admission to the B.Tech. course in different specializations of Engineering.
12 students got admission in B.Sc. and one was in Hotel Management in Australia. One student passing out from Akal Academy, Bhadaur, in 2006 got admission to an Engineering College and four got admission to higher education in Australian Universities. Similarly, 10 students of Reeth Kheri, from two
batches, got admission into different Engineering courses. Two opted for nursing, one for Homoeopathy, one for Biotechnology and one got admission to higher studies in New Zealand.
Students of Akal Academy, Cheema (Punjabi Medium) appeared in classes V, VIII and X of the Punjab School Education Board Examination in March 2007. International Test by Macmillan India Ltd. And the University of South Wales, Australia In order to evaluate and assess the student’s academic skills and
to identify the student’s potential for growth, as many as 591 students from nine Academies participated in the Test in 2006 (an International Education Assessment of Indian Schools conducted by Macmillan India Ltd. in collaboration with the University of South Wales, Australia). The students participated in English, Maths, Science and Computer Skills. It is satisfying that nine students won gold medals, 68 students got distinction certificates and 151 non-credit certificates. In this Educational Assessment Test, gold medals are awarded for securing the highest grade in a particular subject in that particular class across the state.
Subject-wise Gold Medal winners are: Akashveer Kaur from Akal Academy, Cheema and Kirti Sharma from Akal Academy, Ajitsar (Ratia) obtained gold medals in English. Apurvdeep Kaur and Gurleen Kaur from Akal Academy, Dhindsa got gold medals in Science. Four students from Akal Academy, Cheema
namely Deepak Jindal, Vivek Bhardwaj, Goldy Goel, Niranjan Singh and Amandeep Singh from Akal Academy, Kauri-wara got gold medals in Maths.
Many students from the Akal Academies participated in several other National-level competitions and showed their merit. In the 8th Science Olympiad conducted by Science Olympiad, Delhi, Khushpreet Kaur from Akal Academy, Jand Sahib, got a cash prize of Rs. 250/- for getting the 44th rank in the All-India competition. In the Global test of the English Language, three students namely Aminder Singh, Gursharan Singh, and Bhola Das from Akal Academy, Balbehra, obtained gold medals. Manpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Kaur, and Sahib Singh also got gold medals in this competition. In the Global Mathematics
Talent Probe, Kamal Saini from Akal Academy, Balbehra, obtained a gold medal and Gurpinder Singh of Class IV from Akal Academy, Jand Sahib, obtained a gold medal in the Cipel Global Test organized by Cipels. In the All-India Computer Knowledge Test 2006, Navneet Kaur of class IV from Akal Academy, Muktsar, won a gold medal and Kanwarpal Singh of class V won the silver medal. As many as 228 students from Akal Academy, Ajitsar (Ratia) participated in the International Information Olympiad 2006 and 13 students won Gold, 9 silver, and 15 bronze medals.
